"Please don't leave me alone" Patrochilles.
The weight and resignation in Patroclus’ tone were indications enough of where the conversation would go. The half turn his body had already done, away from the door simply at the sound of Achilles’ request gave him away.
He isn’t like Achilles, Patroclus thought as he looked into the other man’s eyes, brows pressed deeper than Patroclus has ever seen. The flames burning within both of them, which had drawn them to one another in the first place, worked differently. Patroclus had seen first hand how Achilles’ fire lashed out, making quick work of any and all who threatened his stature and liveliness. He had been trained and shown from a young age to wield what burned others but Patroclus had not.
When Patroclus was doused in fuel his flames roared to life, barricading him from the rest of the world, building walls so high he could see nothing but red, refused to see anything but red. Patroclus’ flames always came at a price, for when he burned his adversaries, he went down with them. The white-hot passion within him licked at his very own heart and he always let it.
Looking into Achilles’ eyes mere hours after the man had returned from Skyros, however, Patroclus saw agony. Caught glimpses of misery like he had never seen before between the cracks of Achilles’ intensity.
Patroclus couldn’t move his gaze from Achilles as he walks back to the man, his resignation laced with more backbone than it had before Achilles made his plea. He took Achilles’ hands easily, holding them close to his chest as he leaned his forehead to touch Achilles’.
Everything always disappeared for a moment when Patroclus initiated such intimacy between them, even the crackling of the flames. Even through all that remained unresolved between them.
Patroclus licked his lips, a moment’s hesitation before he had the courage to speak past the ways he felt wronged since Achilles disappeared.
“We will get through this.”
Patroclus blinked. And when he took in the sight of Achilles’ ethereal features again, he knew if there was any single thing on this entire plane of existence for which Achilles would burn, it was him.